News

COVER Act incentivizes cover crop adoption

The CEO of an ag bioscience company is hopeful the COVER Act will be included in the next farm bill.

Dr. Oliver Peoples with Yield10 Bioscience tells Brownfield the legislation incentivizes the adoption of cover crops.

“Just for the environmental benefits of them, reducing nutrient runoff essentially protecting the water in the soil, managing soil organic carbon content. All of these become pretty important as you look at where we’re headed as a society.”

He tells Brownfield the COVER Act would help advance the next generation of cover crops, providing more value to farmers.

“And that’s obviously where Yield10 is focused with camelina, others are looking at other crops as well. But any support we can get in these early years to encourage growers to take the opportunity to plant these and develop a knowledge around how to use these effectively on their farms (is important).”

Yield10 Bioscience is developing camelina varieties to produce bioplastics, low-carbon feedstocks, and biofuels.

The COVER Act is a bipartisan, bicameral bill that would provide a $5 per acre crop insurance discount to farmers who plant cover crops.